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Eric W.

Eric W.

Joined on 12/25/04

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 5
Most Favorable Review

A++++ Would print again

Samsung ML Series ML-3312ND Workgroup Up to 33 ppm Monochrome Ethernet (RJ-45) / USB Laser Printer
Samsung ML Series ML-3312ND Workgroup Up to 33 ppm Monochrome Ethernet (RJ-45) / USB Laser Printer

Pros: This is an awesome printer for the money. Here are some of the highlights: - Easy to setup - Easy to configure with the front panel - Good driver/print preferences interface - Great looking web interface - High quality print output - High paper capacity - Eco mode seems cool - Doesn't come with a manual

Cons: The front panel menu/navigation button is flimsy.

Overall Review: Since it did not come with a manual, I had to download it from Samsung's website in order to find the default login credentials for the web interface. For anyone interested, the default login credentials are: admin sec00000 The Eco mode is interesting in that it lets you track how much CO2 you're saving. This might actually motivate me to use it. Also, if setting up with a static IP, it will probably be quicker to just plug it into your network as DHCP and then login to the web interface to assign a static IP as opposed to using the front panel.

Quality "Value" Power Supply

Antec VP-450 450W ATX 12V v2.3 Power Supply - Intel Haswell Fully Compatible
Antec VP-450 450W ATX 12V v2.3 Power Supply - Intel Haswell Fully Compatible

Pros: I bought this power supply for a 2nd system that I didn't plan on doing much with. However, plans changed and now this unit is powering an overclocked 4670K and an R9 280X with no issues. System components: i5 4670K @ 4.2GHz Asus Z87-A motherboard Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo in push/pull (2 fans) 8GB G.skill DDR 3 2133MHz XFX R9 280X TDFD 1TB HD 3 120mm case fans This system is mining cryptocurrency with both CPU and GPU, consuming 350 watts according to my UPS. I'm glad to report I haven't had any power-related issues.

Cons: It's a little loud when under the stress my system is putting on it, but it's not too bad.

Overall Review: A lot of people greatly overestimate how big of a power supply they need to run their system. This should be just fine for the vast majority of systems as long as they don't have ultra high-end video cards, multiple video cards, or an unusually high number other components. Also, I had to use two adapters in order to power the video card: 6 pin PCIe -> 8 pin PCIe 2 molex -> 6 pin PCIe

Solid RAM

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-2133C10D-8GAB
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-2133C10D-8GAB

Pros: This RAM runs at the stated speeds using XMP and is completely stable. It will also run at 1600MHz with 1.5v at 9-9-9-27-1T timings. I haven't tested speeds, timings, or voltages in between, but I'm guessing it's fairly flexible.

Cons: I'm not a fan of G.Skill's flashy heat spreaders in general. The blue heat spreaders on these sticks aren't hideous, but they do clash with the rest of my system. I also wish they ran at 2133MHz at 1.5v, but 1.6v doesn't seem to hurt anything.

Overall Review: I'm happy I purchased this RAM as a ShellShocker deal. They run great in my system: i5 4670K @ 4.2GHz Asus Z87 Pro Samsung 840 Pro 256GB GTX 660 Seasonic M12II 750W Fractal Design Define R4

Solid card so far...

EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST 2GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support Graphics Card 02G-P4-3657-KR
EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST 2GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support Graphics Card 02G-P4-3657-KR

Pros: This card is a huge improvement over my old BFG 8800 GT OC: - It's much quieter and cooler, both at idle and while gaming. - It uses the Nvidia reference design cooler and blows the hot exhaust air out the back of the case. - The 6-pin power connector is on the top of the card instead of the end, so it fits in my case (Antec P182). If it were on the end of the card, I would have had to remove a case fan to make the card fit. - It has a number of different outputs, one of which is HDMI with audio, which is great for connecting to TVs. - It's basically a GTX 660 with less cores; performance is very close to a GTX 660. - I've heard good things about EVGA customer support, not having dealth with them myself. - Includes $75 worth of codes for 3 games, one of which I play. These can be easily used, sold, or traded.

Cons: GTX 660 cards can be found for about the same price after rebates.

Overall Review: I installed this card in my almost 5.5 year old system hoping it would last another year or two and still play a few modern games (Hawken and BioShock Infinite to name a couple). I knew my CPU could be a bottleneck, but I've still seen a great improvement in gaming performance. I'm getting a score of P5200 in 3DMark 11 with these specs: Q6700 @ 3.2GHz CPU 4GB DDR2 1066 RAM Asus P5E Motherboard Also, one reviewer mentioned the fan sounds like a jet engine at max speed -- I wouldn't go that far since I've owned loud video cards before (FX 5950 Ultra). But then again, I've only had this one up to 74% fan speed as limited by the EVGA Precision X interface. I'll have to play with it or use another app to see what 100% sounds like. Either way, I doubt the card will ever hit 100% fan speed during gaming based on the default fan speed/temperature curve. The same reviewer said they had a Windows Experience Index of 7.8 -- mine is 7.9 in both Graphics and Gaming Graphics with no overclocking on Windows 7. One more thing -- I'm hopeful it will be possible to flash these to GTX 660s. Based on overclocking benchmarks, I'm convinced the hardware can handle it. Of course I'll let others try it first before I risk bricking mine.

Slick HTPC/Server

ASRock CoreHT 252B Intel HM65 1 x HDMI Barebone
ASRock CoreHT 252B Intel HM65 1 x HDMI Barebone

Pros: I have only owned this PC for about a week, but it has met all of my expectations so far. I upgraded the RAM to 8GB and installed Windows 7 Pro 64-bit without any issues. It boots fast and runs great. It's fairly quiet too -- almost inaudible when the fans are low. The BIOS is easy to navigate and the aesthetically pleasing -- one of the best I've seen.

Cons: I can't think of any real cons, but here are some things that would have been nice: - I ordered mine with an 8GB RAM kit; it would've been nice if there was a model that shipped without RAM and perhaps a hard drive so users could choose their own. - There are no PCI/PCI-X slots, so I have to buy a USB TV tuner.

Overall Review: My main concern is long-term reliability. I'm using this PC as an occasional HTPC and primarily as a server, meaning it stays on 24/7. Laptops generally aren't designed for that, so I'm hoping the hardware will hold up. My 252B idles a little higher than I'd like at 50C CPU and 50C motherboard. I have read reviews with lower temps, but mine are probably higher because the PC is on a shelf in a closet, with an 8 port gigabit switch on top, sitting by a warm router. I haven't tested USB 3.0 yet, but that was one of the key selling points for me. I just ordered a 4TB USB 3.0 drive, so hopefully it's fast. One more thing -- for anyone doing a RAM or hard drive upgrade, be careful when reinstalling the Blu-ray drive. It looks like it might be easy to scratch the front of the drive on the inside of the case if you aren't lined up with the opening when inserting the drive. It can be difficult to get the drive horizontal again due to the SATA cables pushing against the motherboard.